BACKGROUND It has repeatedly been shown that female patients wake up faster from propofol anaesthesia than male patients. The reason for this is not clear. It is possible that female patients have a more rapid decline in plasma propofol concentration after termination of an infusion, or there could be gender differences in the sensitivity to propofol, making women wake up at higher concentratio...

PURPOSE Sedatives must be carefully titrated for patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) as oversedation may lead to disastrous respiratory outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the relations between the effect-site concentration (Ce) of propofol and sedation and airway obstruction levels in patients with OSAHS. MATERIALS AND METHODS In 25 patients with OSAHS, seda...

BACKGROUND Being awake during anaesthesia is a serious complication. An anaesthetic depth monitor must discriminate in real time between wakefulness and unconsciousness. The present study created a period of wakefulness during propofol-induced hypnosis. Bispectral index (BIS), explicit and implicit memories of the awake period were investigated. METHODS Ten volunteers were studied. The calcul...

BACKGROUND Local pain at the site of an i.v. injection of propofol is a well-known problem, particularly in infants. This randomised investigator-blinded crossover study was designed to assess the effect of the i.v. bolus infusion rate on propofol-induced pain at the site of injection. METHODS Thirty unpremedicated patients scheduled for ear-nose-throat or plastic surgery at Malmö University ...

BACKGROUND Propofol injection pain is a common and unsolved anaesthesia problem. OBJECTIVES The present study attempted to confirm that the plasticiser di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) infusion tubes may increase propofol injection pain by increasing the aqueous propofol concentration. DESIGN A randomised controlled study. SETTING University teaching hospital, 1 Apri...